Student Spotlight
Students: Dan Harris and David Zucker. School: Lower Merion High School, where they are sophomores. Achievement: The two 16-year-olds raised money for the genocide in Darfur with their second "Frisbee Tourney: A Benefit to Aid Darfur." This year, the fund-raiser was a two-day event, featuring a concert May 17 at Delancey Street Bagels in Wynnewood and an all-day ultimate Frisbee tournament May 18.
Students:
Dan Harris and David Zucker.
School:
Lower Merion High School, where they are sophomores.
Achievement:
The two 16-year-olds raised money for the genocide in Darfur with their second "Frisbee Tourney: A Benefit to Aid Darfur." This year, the fund-raiser was a two-day event, featuring a concert May 17 at Delancey Street Bagels in Wynnewood and an all-day ultimate Frisbee tournament May 18.
Question:
Why did the genocide in Darfur particularly strike a chord with you?
Zucker:
Darfur has always seemed to be our generation's genocide. In school, we learn so much about things that went on during other people's lifetimes, and we can't do anything about them - except promise that they will never happen again. This is our opportunity to make sure no one says "never again" after Darfur.
Q:
How did the event come about?
Harris:
We were educated about the ongoing genocide in Darfur at our synagogue, Beth Am Israel in Penn Valley. We have also been to multiple rallies for Darfur in Washington, D.C., and New York. We were interested in furthering our experience with ultimate Frisbee, and decided to merge the two into an awesome event.
Q:
Who played in the tournament, and was a donation involved?
Harris:
High schoolers from schools around the area [Julia R. Masterman School in Philadelphia, Cheltenham High School, Abington Friends School in Jenkintown and Lower Merion] came to play. There were also some adults who had seen the advertisement on the local Frisbee community Web site,
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[Philadelphia Area Disc Alliance]. People who played gave a $15 entrance fee.
Q:
Why Frisbee?
Zucker:
Frisbee has been a sport that my friends and I have been obsessed with for a good while now. My brother and his friends used to play it, and introduced it to me. But I, along with Dan, became far more obsessed than my brother and his friends ever were.
Since eighth grade, Frisbee has been a passion of mine. I love the fact that there are no referees - the game is ruled by spirit of the game, in which players make judgment calls through a certain process.
Q:
How much money did you raise this year? Will you give it to a specific organization?
Zucker:
As of now, we raised over $3,000, and of course, we're still welcoming donations from anyone willing to make one. We're giving the money to two organizations: the UNICEF Project in Darfur, and the Darfur Alert Coalition.
Q:
How can someone make a donation?
Harris:
Checks can be made out to Darfur Alert Coalition or UNICEF Project in Darfur. They can be sent to 603 Revere Rd., Merion, Pa. 19066.
Q:
Did any Darfurian refugees from the Philadelphia area attend the event?
Harris:
This year, the Darfurian refugees had to cancel last-minute because they had a funeral they needed to go to. However, two years ago when they did attend, it was about four teens and two adults.
At that tournament, Gary Auerbach, a world-renowned Frisbee freestyle player, volunteered his time to do a halftime show and play with the Darfurian kids.
Q:
What sort of impact did the refugees have on event attendees at that year's event?
Harris:
As we remember vividly from the event two years ago, everyone was very interested in what the refugees had to say, and kids who we knew to be rowdy and loud in school sat still, respecting them and listening intently.
Q:
What is the most memorable moment for you from this year's event?
Zucker:
The most memorable moment from this year's event was at the concert when we saw how many people attended. Some of them were people we didn't even know who came to enjoy a great concert and support a great cause. The concert overall was a great success.
Q:
What was the turnout?
Zucker:
We believe it was between 75 and 100 people.
Q:
Who performed?
Zucker:
Both Lower Merion High School a cappella groups, Ace's Angels and Ace Harmony, performed. In addition, we had a four-person rock band made up of musicians from our school. And lastly, we had a college freshman at New York University, Adrian Bridges, play classical guitar.
What a teacher says:
"I am so proud of these boys for the way they put their values and concerns into action," said Christina Minecci, a teacher and faculty sponsor of the ultimate Frisbee team at Lower Merion High School.
"They demonstrated amazing independence in arranging such an important and impressive fund-raiser. On their own initiative, they planned and executed this entire experience, contacted all the businesses involved, including securing numerous grants and donations, and brought a message of hope and caring to a huge number of people.
"They found a way to combine teenagers having fun with a commitment to helping those so much less fortunate."
- Shannon Hallamyer